Voter turnout in today's primaries is 'unbelievably bad' so far

George Pacciello/staff photographerVoters cast their ballots in November at J.P. Case Middle School in Raritan Township.

Turnout in today's primaries has been exceptionally light so far, largely because there are very few contested races around the county.

"At this point, they already know who the candidates are going to be," explained one poll worker at Flemington's Borough Hall. "The voters aren't coming out."

They can vote in the presidential primary, but the choice has already been made for them. On the Democratic side, President Obama faces no challengers from his party this year, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is the presumptive Republican nominee.

"There is no choice," said Sandy Pohlman, who was working the polls at Desmares Elementary School in Raritan Township. "Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum don't have enough to carry them through. Why would a Democrat go? Who do they have to vote for?"

Pohlman described voter turnout as "stinky" and "unbelievably bad," but said traffic could pick up with the after-work crowd.

"It doesn't matter if they vote or not on this one," said Hannah Taylor, another poll worker. "Especially for Democrats, the only race is for the Assembly."

Marie Corfield, an art teacher at Robert Hunter, and Princeton Township Deputy Mayor Sue Nemeth are battling over the Democratic nomination for the 16th District to fill the unexpired term of the late Peter Biondi (R-Somerset). Last year, Corfield narrowly lost a race for the seat, which represents parts of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset counties. The Republican incumbent, Assemblywoman Donna Simon (R-Hunterdon) is running unopposed.

In Raritan Township's District 4, only 63 voters (44 Republicans; 19 Democrats) out of the 603 registered voters had voted as of 3 p.m. In District 15, 54 (43 Republicans; 11 Democrats) out of the 813 registered voters had voted; in District 12, 60 (46 Republicans; 14 Democrats) out of the 1,041 registered voters had voted and in District 2, 62 (53 Republicans; 9 Democrats) out of the 1,023 registered voters had voted.

In Flemington's District 2, 60 out of the 707 registered voters had voted as of 3:30 p.m.